Alternating-current rectifier.



S. G. LANGLEY.

ALTERNATING CURRENT RECTIFIER.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7.1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAM G. LANGLEY, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ALTERNATING-CURRENT RECTIFIER;

Patented Sept. '7, 1915.

Application filed June 7, 1912. Serial No. 702,187.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAM G. LANGLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alternating- Current Rectifiers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to alternating current rectifiers and more particularly to that type of such rectifiers in which vibrating contacts are employed to open and close a circuit connected to a source of alternating current and to a direct current translating device or devices in such a manner as to 'cause the current impulses to pass into the direct current translating device or devices in one direction only.

In some aspects my invention consists in improvements in apparatus of this character, in which one ormore contact-carrying armatures are mounted for vibration in the field of a magnet and are actuated by a single coil surrounding the same.

One feature of my invention consists in an improved adjustable stationary contact having a plurality of contact faces and means for mounting thesame so as to readily utilize any. one of the contact faces.

Another feature of my invention is the provision of a rectifying device of simple and compact construction, in which the magnet, armature and coil are all supported by a single frame.

My invention consists also in the details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described more fully and claimed.

In the. drawings which accompany and form a part of this specificati on-Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a rectifying device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 4 is a. perspective view of one form of my improved contact; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing a rectifier embodying my invention connected to the alternating current circuit and supplying uni-directional current to a storage battery.

Referring to the drawings, at 1 is shown a permanent magnet having an almost completely closed magnetic circuit. In the gap between the north and south poles of the permanent magnet 1 one or more armatures 2 and 3, preferably made of soft iron, are located. Surrounding the armatures 2 and 3 an actuating coil 4 is provided. The permanent magnet 1, armatures 2 and 8, and coil 4 are supported by means of a frame or base 5. The frame or base 5 has upwardly extending lugs or projections 6 engaging the magnet 1 and bent over so as to hold the same securely in place. The frame 5 is also provided with upwardly extending portions located between the lugs or projections 6, consisting of portions 7 and 8 extending substantially vertically upward from the frame 5, portions 9 and 10 extending outwardly and substantially horizontally from the upper extremities of the portions 7 and 8 and forming a seat for the coil, and portions 11 and 12 extending substantially vertically upward from the outer extremities of the horizontal portions 9 and 10, and serving to retain the coil 4 against horizontal move ment across the magnet 1. By this construction the coil is held firmly in place between the upwardly extending portions of the frame 5 and the magnet 1. The portions 7 and 8 of the frame receive the pivot 13 upon which the armatures 2 and 3 are mounted for vibration. Contacts 14 and 14 are mounted on the armatures 2 and 3 at their upper ends. The contacts 14 and 14 are preferably of carbon and are adapted to cooperate with the stationary contact 15. The stationary contact 15 is preferably hollow and formed of walls which are substantially identical in size and shape, and each of which is provided with an opening 16' located in its lower central portion. The contact 15 preferably has four such walls, forming as it were a square box without top or bottom. The outer surface of each of the walls is adapted to serve as a contact surface. The contact 15 is mounted on a support 17 which is preferably secured to one pole of the permanent magnet 1 by means of a screw 18 and insulated therefrom by an insulating member 19 and an insulating bushing or washer 19. The support 17 is provided with an upwardly extending portion 20 and with horizontal guides 21, 21'. The contact 15 is adapted to rest on the base of the support 17 and between the guides 21, 21'. As a means for adjusting the contact 15 a screw threaded member 22 is provided, which is threaded into the upright portion 20--of the support 17, and the end of which is adapted to extend through an opening 16 of the contact 15. The member 22 is reduced where it passes through the opening 16 of the contact 15, as is shown at 23, so that there is an enlarged portion on each side of the wall of the contact, and the contact may thus be moved toward or away from the upwardly extending portion 20 of the support 17 by turning the threaded member 22 in one direction or the other. The threaded member 22 is provided with a lock nut 24.

In order to secure the contact 15 firmly in place on the support 17, a cross piece 25 adapted to bridge across the upper part of the contact 15 is provided. This cross piece 25 is clamped in place by screws 26 and 27 threaded into the base of the support 17. The support 17 is provided with a screw or binding post 28 to facilitate making connections in the circuit. An adjustable back stop 29 is provided which is preferably mounted upon the other pole of the permanent magnet 1. As hereinbefore set forth, the contact 15 may be adjusted by turning the threaded member 22, and clamped in place by means of the screws 26 and 27.

When the contact face of the contact 15 which is in use becomes worn, the contact 15 may be removed from its place by removing the screws 26 and 27 and the cross piece 25, and turned and replaced, so as to present a new contact face to the contacts 14, and then resecured in place by the cross piece 25 and the screws 26 and 27 It will be apparent that in my improved contact piece a minimum of material is employed, and simple and efficient means are provided for adjustment and for enabling all of the contact surfaces to be utilized successively. The armatures 2 and 3 are in electrical connection with the frame 5 through the pivot 13, and wires 30 and 31 connecting the armatures 2 and 3 respectively with the frame 5 may be provided in order to insure good electrical connection. A binding post 32 may also be provided on the frame 5.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, alternating current mains are shown at 40 and 41. One terminal of the coil 4 is connected to one of the alternating current mains 40 by a conductor 42, and the other terminal of the coil 4 is connected to the other main 41 by the conductor 43. An adjustable condenser 44 is preferably connected in series with the coil 4 and is shown inserted in the conductor 43. The stationary contact 15 is connected through the connector 28 to one side of the alternating current circuit 41 by means of the conductor 45, andthe frame of the device is connected to the other side of the alternating current circuit 40 by means of the conductor 46. In the circuit containing the contact 15 a direct current translating device or devices are inserted. I have illustrated as such a device a storage battery 47 and also an adjustable rheostat 48 inserted in the connection 46.

The mode of operation of the rectifying device is as follows :Reversals of current occur in the coil 4, and an alternating flux is set up in the armatures 2 and 3, thereby making the upper ends of the armatures alternately north and south poles. Furthermore, when the upper ends of the armatures are of north polarity, the south pole of the permanent magnet 1 is strengthened and the north pole weakened, and when the upper ends of the armatures are of south polarity, the north pole of the permanent magnet is strengthened and the south pole weakened. As a result the armatures are vibrated in synchronism with the alternating current flowing through the coil 4. \Vhen the contacts 14, 14 are in contact with the contact 15, a circuit is established from the alternating current main 41, through the conductor 45, contact 15, contacts 14, 14' and armatures 2 and 3, frame 5, binding post 32, conductor 46, storage battery 47, rheostat 48, to the other side of the alternating current circuit 40. This condition of affairs continues during one half wave of the alternating current. During the succeeding half wave,

the circuit is broken at the contacts 14 and 15. In this manner uni-directional current is supplied to the storage battery or other direct current translating device 47 The adjustable condenser 24 in series with the coil 4 is employed to advance the phase of the current in the coil in order to compensate for the inertia of the armatures and to cause the circuit to be broken at the proper times to avoid sparking. The rheostat 48 is employed to regulate the current supplied to the storage battery 47.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows 1. In electrical apparatus, a contact member having a plurality of contact faces, a support for said member adapted to support said member so as to present any desired contact face for utilization, said support including a guide along which said member is adjustably movable, and means for securing said member fixedly in adjusted position, substantially as described.

2. In electrical apparatus, a contact member having a plurality of contact faces, a support for said member adapted to support said member so as to present any desired contact face for utilization, said support including a pair of guides between which said member is slidably adjustable, and means for securing said member fixedly in adjusted position, substantially as described.

3. In electrical apparatus, a contact member, a second contact member cotiperable therewith and having a plurality of contact faces, a support for receiving said second contact member so as to present any desired 7 face for contact, means for adjusting said second contact member on its support to ward and from said first-mentioned contact member, and means for securing said second contact member fixedly to the support in adjusted position, substantially as described.

4. As a new article of manufacture, 'a-hollow contact member having a plurality of walls substantially like insize andshape, each of said walls having a recess, and the exteriors of said walls constituting contact faces, substantially. as described.

5. In an alternating current rectifier, the combinationof a magnet, an armature located to vibrate in the field of the magnet, an actuating coil for the armature, and a supporting rame for the magnet, armature and coil, said frame having lugs or projections. engaging the magnet, and extensions to which; the armature is pivoted and on which-the coil is supported, substantially asdescribed.

6. In an alternating current rectifier, the combination of a magnet having an almost completely closed magnetic circuit, an armature adapted to vibrate in the field of the magnet, a coil surrounding the armature,

and a frame for supporting the magnet, armature and coil, said frame having extensions, and the coil being supported between the said extensions and the magnet, sub

stantially as described.

7. In an alternating current rectifier, the

combination of a magnet, armatures located I i to vibrate in the field of the magnet, an actuating coil for the armatures, and a supporting frame for the magnet, armatures .and coil, said frame having lugs or projecsubstantially as described.

9. In an alternating current rectifier, the combination of a magnet having a gap therein, an armature mounted to vibrate in said gap, a 0011 surrounding the armature,

and a frame for supporting the magnet, armature and coil, the coil being held fixedly in position between and by coaction with portions of the frame and magnet, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 5th day of June, 1912.

SAM e. LANGLEY.

Witnesses: IIENRY LANAHAN, ANNA R. KLEHM.

,tween the said extensions and the magnet, 2 

